Presents: My Life and Other Drugs
by HoodedSpellcaster
Summary: Zexion was forced to move to Seattle to live with his cousin. He had new school, new friends, and endless possibilities. Befriending with mysterious Marley wasn't maybe the best choice to make. Zexion's POV. Multiple pairings.
1. Chapter I

A/N: This will be the part one in my "Presents:" trilogy. At first I just wanted to write a story which would involve all kinds of problems but all the subjects I wanted to write about didn't fit into one story so this turned into a trilogy. Also the parts two and three will later be published in .

Oh. And this story isn't beta'd so enjoy my grammatical errors~.

Rating is currently T but it will change to M in later chapters.

Warnings: OOCness, AU, some own characters, YAOI, and in later chapters also character death, sex, bad language, self-harm, mental problems, etc. Zexion's POV. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and Disney characters belong to Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studious/Disney respectively. Final Fantasy belongs to Square Enix. I own nothing but this story and my OCs. And I won't repeat that 'I don't own' sentence in every chapter. You know I don't own the KH, FF, or Disney characters. And it probably doesn't change during this life-time.

* * *

Presents: My Life and Other Drugs

Prologue

Should I just let them grow? I looked myself from the mirror and fiddled with my hair. The mirror reflected the picture of same old me. Weird shade of gray on my hair, light shadows under my eyes, slightly too pale skin. No, it was definitely not the hair that was bothering me but still something didn't feel quite right. It was like something's going to change soon.

"Zexion! If you don't come down this instant you're going to miss the bus!"

I frowned and grabbed the school bag from my bed. Damn, I need a driving license and own car as soon as I turn 16. I guess I have to start saving money. "I'm coming, mom."

My mom was waiting for me at the front door. While I put on my shoes, black Converse's of course, she stood there a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Remember to come straight to home after school, Zex", she said. "We have to talk."

I shrugged. Mom had been acting weirdly since last Friday but I hadn't really thought about it. Maybe it was because I, her only child, was graduating from the grammar school. I mean, being a ninth grader makes us usually think what we are really going to do with our lives. Do we go to high school or do we get a job? I couldn't care a less. I knew exactly what I wanted. I had decided to apply to high school here in my hometown. Everyone knew each other and it made my life easier because I didn't really like talking to anyone. Sure, I've got good grades but I knew they would take me in anyway, thanks to the lack of students.

At school I sat in the last row and listened music with only one earphone while the history teacher, old Mr. Jenkins, tried to get us learning about the Cold War and the Industrial Revolution. I've always like history that's why I actually didn't listen music during Mr. Jenkins's class. The one earphone I wore was for looks and nothing else.

Last three hours passed in a blur. Math, skipped the lunch, English, stupid P.E. Nothing to worry about here, the real problems would wait me at home. Mom would probably just ask about my plans for summer or something like that, I don't know. She usually didn't care what I did as long as it didn't involve her.

I hopped out from the bus at my usual bus stop and trudged through the slush. February, got to love it. My shoes got wet, as well as my socks. At least it wasn't raining. I waded to the mail box because hundred against one mom hadn't fetched the mail. I snorted as I opened the box. A bill, another bill, a payment request, today's newspaper, a magazine for me, advertisements from a local market and nothing else.

"I'm home." I smelled mom's cooking. I kicked my shoes off and dawdled to the kitchen. Mom was there, making dinner for the two of us just like she did everyday. I put the mail on the table and sat down. She gave me a slightly disapproving look when I took two pieces of bubblegum from my school bag and began to leaf through the newest 'Clash' magazine. She looked like she was trying to find the right words to say. After few minutes she couldn't hold back anymore.

"What you think of Seattle?"

I popped the bubblegum and didn't raise my eyes from the magazine. "Home of grunge", I mumbled and kept chewing. Mom sighed disappointedly so I dropped the magazine onto the table and rolled my eyes when I looked at her. "What? I don't hate Seattle. Seattle is fine for shopping. I bought new jeans from there. But it doesn't interest me as a place." What kind of question that was anyway? We visit Seattle once in few months. "So, are we going to Seattle?"

Mom ignored my question and continued frying the already fried chicken strips. "Remember Phil?" she asked and I nodded, rolling my eyes. Mom had started working at the local newspaper as a secretary few months back, and that Phil was her boss. Kinda annoying middle-aged man who likes country music and wears ugly sweaters. Yes, I know him because mom had called him to a family dinner, more than twice actually.

I looked at mom and tried to hide my annoyance. "Yeah, I remember Phil, so what?"

"He got a job offer from California. From San Francisco", mom told and took the dishes from the cupboard and placed them onto the table.

I swallowed the bubblegum and closed the magazine. I put it under the rest of the mail and sighed. "Isn't it a good thing?" Well, it should be. I could finally get rid off him. I smiled at the thought of not seeing that man's face ever again. While I smirked like an idiot mom moved the rice bowl and chicken strips to the table and sat down. She reached to lift up my chin.

Her smile was both really and really sad. "Zexion. Phil… He asked me to come with him."

For a moment I forgot how to breathe. "What…?"

"I know you don't want to move to California because it's too hot and sunny", mom continued and toyed with the rice she had put on her plate and moved it into a piles over the chicken strips. She was nervous, and that she should be! That and ashamed! I just stared blankly at my empty plate, my fists clenching under the table. I couldn't believe what she was saying.

She forced herself to smile. "And you don't have to. I send an application with your name on it to a high school in Seattle. And I'm sure they'll accept you. You're such a hard-working student."

What? Seattle? "I don't understand." Had she planned this? When? Why? The anger struck me so hard. I glared at mom. "So you are sending me to Seattle that you can move to California with your lover?!"

Mom looked first scared, then sad. "Zex, you know I didn't think it like that. I just…"

"Whatever", I snarled and stood up. "I lost my appetite."

I heard she yelled my name whilst I slammed my room's door shut. I fell to my bed. This is just so unfair. She is moving to California with that asshole Phil and I have to move to Seattle. Where does she think I'll even live? We don't have money. I don't have money. I gritted my teeth. She probably didn't call my father for that. They won't even talk to each other if they don't have to.

Two hours later mom knocked my door before opening it. "Zexion", she mumbled apolitically and stepped into my room. She was holding a plateful of dinner's leftovers. "I know you're angry but we can talk about this, right? We've always could talk about everything."

I sat up and beckoned mom to come in. She flashed a hopeful smile and closed the door. I let out a sigh when she looked at me as a sign to say something, anything. She was now sitting next to me. The scent of spicy chicken wafted in the dry room air.

"So… Seattle?" I mumbled. Mom nodded.

"I thought you would like it better than San Francisco." She was right. I would never move to place like San Francisco. Too hot and sunny, just like she said. And expensive, too.

"If… And I say if", I started. "If I got chosen to school where did you think I'll live?"

Mom smiled widely now. She knew she had won this conversation already. She and Phil will move to California and she was sure I was going to move to Seattle, no matter what I would say from now on.

"Remember your cousin Xal?"

I nodded. He was few years older than me and he had moved to Seattle to… Oh. I frowned. So that was her idea. Well, I never thought of getting an own apartment anyway. "When?"

Mom smiled. "In the end of summer. You have almost half a year before it. You'll get used to the idea."

Almost half a year, indeed. I sighed. "I'll think about it", I said even though I knew there wasn't anything to think about anymore. Mom had made her plans and I've just have to go with the flow.

* * *

Chapter I

Six months later.

"Zexion? Have you packed yet? You should be leaving soon."

I gave a sigh, leaning to the door frame. I knew it was already time to leave. I decided to look around my old room for once more. The walls were blank, white and empty as hell because I have taken all my posters down and folded them into one of the dull brown cardboard box. My bed was empty. Neither stupid blue bed sheets with stars that glow in dark which I got from grandma last Christmas nor Pokémon plushies I had collected since I was four were there anymore. They were all packed even though I was going to leave them here. I had packed almost everything I owned. Books, CDs, clothes, trading cards, everything. My sixteen years stuffed into 6 identical boxes.

I walked down the stairs as slowly as I could and stopped on the kitchen door. Mom was standing next to the table, talking loudly about things that didn't really interest me at the moment. While mom talked I had time to observe the man who was sitting there. I knew who he was, of course, I'm not an idiot, but he had changed a lot. Mom glanced at me and gave a displeased sigh.

"Finally. Xal has been waiting for you, Zexion", she said to me and continued her endless gabbling. I looked straight at the man who was supposed to be related to me.

Xal, Xaldin was his name but he was called Xal just like I was called Zex, was my cousin. Being my cousin made him the son of my mother's brother, and he had been my baby-sitter when he lived in the same town. But more than that, he was my role model when I was just a kid. I was actually very sad when he moved to Seattle go to the university but I got over it when he didn't call me or send birthday cards. I hadn't seen him after he left, and now he was sitting there, across the table. I remembered a boy who was always taller than every other kid in our street and who made girls run away because he was holding a frog, not a stalwart man with long black dreadlocks and earplugs. Well, I guessed he was in a band or something.

He laughed at something mom had just said before standing up. He hadn't touched the coffee mom had made.

"Well, I think we should get going", he said. "Are your things upstairs, Zexion?"

I gave a nod, surprised that he had spoken to me so suddenly. He grinned.

"Then we should go get them."

Xaldin had his own car, an old Toyota Hiace. I guess it had been white but now the color was mostly the bright rust. He opened the side door and we began to carry my boxes to the trunk from upstairs. It was a bit depressing watch when he lifted two boxes, one full of books and another filled with clothes, at once when I had problems to carry one which was full of my school stuff for next week. And it was rather light compared to the other boxes.

It didn't take long until I was sitting in the car. I had opened the window. I have my rights to have one last cold breeze of Forks before I have to get used to the air of Seattle. Mom stood outside my window and smiled when Xaldin slammed his door shut. She beckoned me to move closer to her, and I did, so she gave a big, wet, motherly kiss on my cheek and smiled. "I love you. Have fun."

_Have fun_. That's what a mother who's sending her only child away say because she's selling the house called 'home' and is moving to California. I faked a smile. I was still a bit mad at her.

"I love you too, mom. I call you when we get to Seattle."

She nodded and I closed the window to get rid of her. As if it would help because she stayed next to the car, waving goodbyes with a smile on her face like this was the happiest day of her life. Xaldin turned the key in the ignition lock and the motor made a rumbling sound. I sighed. The seats weren't as comfy as in mom's Honda and the whole cab trembled. It's not my problem if I get car sick.

Xaldin glanced at me. "The seatbelt."

I blinked. "What…?" I had been lost in my thoughts.

"The seatbelt", Xaldin repeated. "Fasten your seatbelt."

"Oh, right", I mumbled. The seatbelt made a loud click as a sign there was no turning back. Xaldin smiled the smile I remembered from years back. His foot hitted the gas pedal and I gave him a faint smile when drove away from the yard.

"It's nice to see you, emo kid", Xaldin said. I gave a faint smile. _Emo kid _was the nick name he gave me when I first started to listen such bands like 'My Chemical Romance' and I let my hair grow one-sided. I never was an emo but it didn't bother me when he said it. He was like a big brother I never had. But now it was hard to say anything. It had been so long so I couldn't be sure has he changed.

We both were silent until Xaldin drove to the highway almost twenty minutes later. "So, you're starting at high school now, right?" he asked. "You're 16. Time passes too quickly."

I smiled, looking out to the highway. High school in Seattle wasn't what I had planned. I liked reading and studying but I didn't like to talk. I had always been kinda introverted. "I was just fine here. High school… is not for me."

Xaldin laughed at my comment. "Well, it's not that bad", he said. "You'll adapt well. Seattle is a big city and there'll be bunch of new students. You won't stand out from the crowd."

"I guess there's lots of emos out there", I mumbled with an ashamed smile. "But let's not talk about me. Have you graduated from university yet?"

I had to hold on a door because for a moment I thought Xaldin was going to lose the control of the car. I had to look at him to see what was going on. Xaldin breathed heavily to keep himself calm. He had did so since he was child everytime he was about to get angry.

"University?" he repeated, his grip tightening from the wheel. "I can't believe they still tell that story." He was quiet for a moment and glanced quickly at me. "Don't freak out now, Zex, but my parents kicked me out few years back. I never went to university."

"You didn't?" That really struck me. Xaldin didn't leave the town for school. Kicked out from home. I never thought his parents would be like that. They were always so nice.

"I just didn't match their expectations", Xaldin told like knowing what I was thinking. "In their opinion I can't inherit the inn."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Zex. Remember I told you not to freak out", Xaldin reminded me, his eyes locked on the road. He took the next turn from highway to Seattle. "The reason why I had to move out was because…" He paused again. "Zex, I'm gay."

I blinked. At first, I wasn't sure what I just heard. Secondly, I actually knew exactly what I heard. And thirdly, I guess I mentally freaked out. Xaldin smiled contrivedly when he noticed I bit my lower lip. This was just plain awkward.

"I'm sorry. I should have known my father hadn't told anyone about it", he mumbled. "Stupid parents." I tried to pull myself together. He was the same old Xaldin I had known for years. Being gay didn't change a thing. I have to say something. Think, Zexion, think!

"So… How long have you...?" I paused. This was so embarrassing. "You know."

Xaldin looked abashed for a moment. Then he laughed. "How long I've been gay, you mean? From the start, I guess."

Okay, now I was surprised. I remember many girls who drooled after him. "But you had a thing with Belle, right?" I tried. Xaldin flushed a little.

"How can you still remember that?" he grumbled. "It happened years ago!" He gave a laugh before he continued. "I actually never was interested in Bells. I tried to hit on her boyfriend."

"You mean Adam?" That explained a lot. "The guy who worked in the bookshop?"

"Same guy", Xaldin admitted with a sigh.

"But I thought you hated him! But you called him a "Beast"!"

"It was like a cute nickname." Xal frowned. "Those two got married in Hawaii and they send me letter from there. Thank god, I didn't have money to go ruin their honeymoon."

I snickered. He hadn't changed a lot. Only a little bit. Or not even that much.

We changed subject and the rest of the way Xaldin told me about his two-room apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. I looked out when he stopped the car in front of an old apartment building. The whole district seemed suspicious, just like it was build for drug dealers and whores. I smelled financial difficulties when I stepped into the building.

"Why isn't this working?" I mumbled, pressing random buttons to make the elevator's door open.

"It's broken", Xaldin told me and I frowned. So we had to walk. No kidding, Xaldin's going to do most of the job. He has to do two or three trips because of my belongings.

"Which floor?" I mumbled, lifting the lightest of my cardboard boxes from the floor.

"Fifth."

Yeah, sure, fifth floor. Did I mention I hate this type of exercises? I followed Xaldin up the stairs. There was such a mess in the stairway. Does anyone ever clean here? Seriously, are those strings? I shook my head to get rid off that image. Just before fifth floor Xaldin stopped.

"Zex, does it bother you?" he asked. I knew he was talking about the sensitive subject of sexuality. I've hated talking about it since mom had 'the talk' with me when I was nine. "You'll probably live with me next three years."

"Well, I was a bit surprised at first", I said. More than a bit, actually, but I didn't need to say that. "But it's you anyway, weather you were gay or not. No problem." No problem if I don't have to talk about it.

Xaldin smiled widely. "Good." He opened the door which for my surprise wasn't locked. I would have at least a padlock or something. He dropped the box to the entryway. "Luxord, we're home."

There was a loud thump, followed by hasty steps. "Welcome home! I've been waiting for you!"

I gasped, my grip tightening of the box I was holding, when a man run straight to Xaldin and wrapped his arms around Xal's neck. I wished I wouldn't be there. I wished I wouldn't have to see my only cousin embracing a man right in front of my innocent eyes less than hour after telling me he's gay. My first day in Seattle couldn't be better.

"Luxord", Xaldin sighed and the man let go of him reluctantly. "Maybe you should introduce yourself?" The man's blue eyes flashed and I twitched when he looked at me. I guess he was just curious and not checking me out but I found him extremely creepy.

"'Ello, Zexion. I've heard about you. I'm Luxord Reed", he said happily and most of the creepiness melted away. I nodded and smiled to his slightly British accent. Luxord looked actually quite normal. He seemed to be approximately as old as Xaldin or a bit older, and he was like a complete opposite to Xal. Luxord had short platinum blonde hair and a goatee. He smiled widely. "I'm Xaldy's…!"

"…roommate", Xaldin told quickly.

"I was about to say boyfriend!" Luxord whined. The blonde was totally gay for the raven.

Xaldin raised an eyebrow. "We're not dating." And suddenly I found myself from the middle of the confusing drama. Xaldin beckoned me to come further from the front door. "Your room is over here."

My new room was about half of the size of the room I had. There was only a bed and a desk. Small and dead, I would say. I have to ventilate before settling down. I gave a faint smile. "It's like made for me", I said in a sarcastic tone and Xaldin laughed. He got my joke, even though I didn't find it that funny. I put down the box. "No, really. Thanks."

"I guess you want some privacy from Luxord, too", Xaldin explained and showed that the door had a lock. "I won't even be here a lot. I have three jobs and sleep on the couch more than regularly." He looked at his phone. "And I have to leave soon so you'll be here with Lux. Ask him if you need anything. He'll help you anyway."

Few minutes later Xaldin left to work and went to get the rest of my boxes the first floor with Luxord. No one had stolen them even though there were no security cameras. The way back up was agonizing but Luxord turned out to be a nice guy.

"So, you're Xal's cousin?" he asked and I nodded. He smiled. "You must know lots of things about him. Was he cute when he was a child?" Well okay, he just turned out to be not as bad as I thought. He didn't concentrate on our conversation very well so I didn't even need to answer to half of the questions. He talked a lot, like a girl. But when we got back to the fifth floor he left me alone to unpack my boxes at leisure and went to living room to watch television. It was already half past eleven. I opened the window to get in some fresh air. It had started raining. In a spur of moment I climbed to the table to look outside. Lights of the emerald city shined brightly against the nocturnal sky. I looked at the rainy view for a short moment before I looked down to the street. Yes, it was dark but I was sure of what I saw. Down there, under the poorly shining streetlight was someone in the rain, without an umbrella. He had kneeled down. I thought immediately that he was in trouble so I jumped off the table and run to living room where Luxord was watching 'House'.

"Luxord, borrow me your key!" I almost scared how supplicant I sounded and hoped Luxord wouldn't ask much. "And an umbrella!"

"You're going out this late…?" Luxord asked but I guess that something in my face made him understand my situation better than I did. He took a key from the stand and tossed it to me. "Don't worry, I don't tell Xal. You can take the white one from the shoe rack. It's mine."

I smiled relievedly. "Thanks."

I was running down the staircase before I realized what I was really doing. I didn't know what has gotten into me. Maybe it was just because this was Seattle and this district. Back home I wouldn't go out in the middle of the night because of some stranger. I opened the umbrella and stepped into the chilly air.

This had started to feel like a bad idea. It could be any kind of psycho. I could just turn back now, couldn't I? Then it happened. I heard him mumbling something. No, not mumbling. Singing. I couldn't hear the lyrics so I guess my curiosity took over. I walked closer.

"Um, excuse me?" What were you singing? Have you lost something? Do you need help? There were many questions. He turned to me and our eyes met. He looked quite surprised. He probably didn't think that someone might hear him.

He quickly stood up. "I didn't hear you", he said. He didn't look like a psycho, more like a regular teenager. Maybe I was scared for nothing. He had a sleeveless hoodie and only a plain t-shirt under it even though the night wasn't very warm and his brownish hair was soaking wet because of the rain. His hand went to his pocket. "Do you need something? Or… are you after me?"

"What? No!" I almost yelled and I shook my free hand frantically. "I just…! You shouldn't be out when it's raining." He looked very confused at first, like I would've been the crazy one standing in the rain in the middle of the night without a good reason.

"I like rain", he said with a smile. His whole tone had changed.

"You'll get wet", I told. He chuckled at my comment. Seriously, even strangers laugh at me.

"Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet", he said and poked my forehead. "Bob Marley was a wise man when he said that."

"Yeah, Bob Marley", I repeated. I had heard about that man. "Were you singing some of his songs earlier?" I touched my forehead.

"Oh, you heard me", the man said a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "The song was 'No Woman No Cry'. I sung it to my girl."

I grimaced. "Well, she must be very lucky when her boyfriend sings to her in the rain." I had a girlfriend once. Her name was Nakoma, and she lived in a reservation near to Forks. We met in a summer camp and she hitted on me. I was young and stupid and we were together for two weeks. Then we broke up because of few characteristic difficulties. End of the story.

The man laughed. "No kidding. My girl is over there." He pointed at the ditch with his thumb. I had to look closely to see what he was showing to me. There was a blue motorcycle but I couldn't discern its condition. "Her name is Lyra."

"Is she broken?" I asked. He had named his motorcycle after a girl so just because of pure politeness I called the bike 'she' instead of 'it'. It made him smile.

"Yup. I called a friend to pick me up and fix her." He kicked a rock further away. "She's too heavy to move alone. Poor girl." He looked heartbreaking sad because of a goddamn motorcycle! I rolled my eyes and made one of my most stupid decisions ever.

I dropped the umbrella and rolled up my sleeves. He glared at me his eyes wide open when I trudged to his cycle. I glanced at him. "I could use a little help here." There was dirt up to the midway of my leg. I just changed clean jeans on this morning. I hoped for my sanity Xaldin has a washing machine.

The man went to help me and in a little while we got his motorcycle back to the street. But after that I looked like hobo! I had fallen twice, got few oil stains and above all I'd got sweaty. I picked up Luxord's umbrella while the man was checking up his phone. He had gotten a text message or something.

"My friend should be here soon", he said and put the phone to his pocket. He smiled. "The rain has stopped, too. You should head home."

"Look who's talking", I snarled a smirk curling on my lips. "I can as well wait with you."

He smiled widely. We hadn't told our names so I started to call him Marley after Bob Marley and that Labrador retriever in the 'Marley & Me'. My mom cried when she watched that movie and for some reason that guy reminded me of a dog. We didn't talk before a black pickup truck drove next to the motorcycle. Marley sighed as an older man jumped off the front seat and marched to him. They sounded like an old married couple when they began to argue.

"How could you break it again?!" the man yelled. He was probably on his early thirties but his clothes reminded me of teenage punker. His black and white hair was on low ponytail and his right eye was covered with an eye patch.

"Not my fault! Lyra is a fragile girl!"

"Fragile in my ass! Your bike is Suzuki GS500E! You can't just break it like that!" He calmed down quickly. "Whatever. Help me to move it."

They didn't need my help to lift Marley's cycle to the truck. I hated the way that old man looked at Marley while they didn't talk.

I didn't know anything. The man opened the car's door and hopped into the truck. He glanced at Marley from the window. "Was this district clear?"

Marley shrugged. "Well duh."

"Good. Now you can have your short farewell before we go."

I looked at Marley and he gave me faint smile. "Thanks for help, and keeping company", he said. "We probably won't see again but… Yeah, thanks. A lot."

"Take care of your girl", I said.

The black pickup truck drove away while I walked up to the fifth floor. The clock was already who knows what and I had a weird feeling that Luxord had been waiting for me to come back since I had left. "I…" _I'm home. _I wanted to say it but the words got caught in my throat. It was too early to call this place home. "I'm back." Luxord ran to see me. I knew he hadn't been sleeping.

"Zex! You look terrible!" he exclaimed and shook his head when I was about to tell why I was such a bad shape. "Go. Take a shower. We'll talk about it later. Maybe tomorrow."

I gave a smile and handed the key to his awaiting hand.

"There're towels on the right. The gray one is for you", Luxord advised brotherly. "And remember that if you get hungry you can take anything from the fridge. Not that there is much to take."

Luxord's fussing over things made me smile. Xaldin had always tried to do everything on his own so the way Luxord tried to help balanced their natures. It made me think were they more than just roommates. Xaldin had denied it but there definitely was something between them, I thought while standing in a warm shower. I liked warm water. Back home we had a bathtub but here I have to get used to that we had only a shower. The variety of shampoos was limited to two, one was for normal hair, and another was for dreads. I decided to use the one I knew to belong to Luxord. Who knows what would happen to my hair if I do otherwise.

Luxord was sitting on the living room's couch and looking through the different channels when I came out from the bathroom. I glanced at the wall clock. A quarter over one.

"Aren't you going to bed?" I asked, drying my hair. Luxord stopped on the channel which showed commercials 24/7 and muted the sound of television.

"Xaldin will come back by four", he told, smiling gently. "I'll wait for him. Good night."

"Good night."

I went to my new room and collapsed to the bed. My phone showed I got seven missed calls from mom. I hadn't called her even though I had promised. In addition there was a text from Xal. Mom had called him so he had told her we had got here in one piece. I should thank him in the morning. I needed some sleep.

* * *

A/N: So... If you liked it, if you hated it, if you want to point out my grammar, if you have anything to say about this story, then say it. Reviews make happy, and critique makes me a better writer.


	2. Chapter II

Chapter II

Sun shone straight to my closed eyes. I needed to ask from Xal or Luxord do they have some extra curtains or something. I yawned. I couldn't sleep more anyway, and it was goddamn Sunday. I picked a pair of black bondage-jeans and a plain white t-shirt before I dragged myself to the kitchen. Neither Xaldin nor Luxord were there. Instead they had left a note on the kitchen table.

"Morning, Zex.

I left u my spare key. Call me if u need something.

Lux"

They had gone work. I sighed. It was over ten after all so of course they weren't here. Luxord had left me his number as well. I added it into my phone before trying to find something to eat. The fridge was half empty so making a sandwich started to sound like a good idea. While eating I looked around the kitchen. It was small like the rest of the apartment. There were a small fridge and a range, an old micro which was probably from some sort of secondhand shop and a small kitchen table with three dissimilar collapsible chairs. Cupboard doors were painted white that the room would look more bright and spacious. In the kitchen's notice board I found a bus timetable and opening hours of a corner store. I wouldn't like to spend my whole day waiting for Xaldin and Luxord to come back.

I had too much free time for my own good so I decided to pay a visit to the neighborhood. I had to find the closest bus stop for tomorrow and knowing the street's name couldn't hurt. In darkness this place had looked much more unsafe than in plain sunlight. And someone had taken the strings from stairs. It made my day. I sat down on the doorstep after having a short tour and opened the book I hadn't finished. It wasn't a very bad book actually. I got interrupted when I heard a woman skittering closer in high heels. It made me raise my eyes from the book.

The woman would have looked actually quite beautiful if she had checked herself from a mirror before going out. Her makeup was probably from yesterday and her short brownish gray hair was messy. Her outfit wasn't one of the best, either. The day was chilly and she wore leather shorts and short tank top. Addition to that she was smoking. When she stopped by me she blew a perfect smoke ring into the air.

"Did you now that bondage isn't in anymore?" she asked. I shot her with a look. "Just kidding. Want some?" She offered me a cigarette.

I closed the book. "I prefer not."

"Young and innocent, are you?" she chuckled and sat down next to me. I could smell the alcohol and considered leaving as the best opinion. I didn't intend to meddle with strangers. Yesterday was an 'once in a lifetime' experience. I stood up and the woman's confident smile fell. "You're not leaving yet? I thought we could talk a moment." She blew out another smoke ring and stretched out her hand for shaking it with mine. "I'm Paine."

I hesitated but shook hands with her. "Zexion." I sat back down. She didn't know me anyway. And if she tries anything I could run faster than her with those killer heels.

"That's a nice name. Old fashioned." She grinned. "You're a new one here."

"I moved in yesterday."

She nodded. "What were you reading?"

I showed her the cover. "It's 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams." I had got it from mom as birthday present when I had asked for 'just some book'. Last time I had read Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'.

"I've read it", Paine said. "When I was in middle school." She stomped her cigarette and probably would have smoked another if she hadn't found the box empty. She tossed it away and grinned. "How old are you anyway? 13?"

"Sixteen", I corrected. "I just had my birthday."

Paine smiled. "Then I should give you a present", she hummed. She didn't waste time and the next thing I knew was her lips on mine. I was abashed. Her sudden kiss had been nothing like the kisses I shared with Nakoma. Paine retreated with a satisfied smile and flipped out a calling card. "I work in a club in the downtown. Come to see me sometime. Just say you know Paine and they let you in." She stood up and walked away, leaving me there to stare after her my eyes wide open. I looked at the book, and then at the empty cigarette box she had left behind. I picked the box up and tossed it to the nearest bin. What in the name of retribution just happened?

I went back to the apartment to clear my mind. Watching TV sounded tempting but I probably couldn't concentrate on pointless dramas, partly because the living room was a mess. I just hadn't paid any attention on it. It seemed that neither Xaldin nor Luxord really used their time here. Not even in Sundays. I sighed. My mom would have freaked out if he had seen this place before she let me move in. I rolled my eyes and marched to bathroom. I remembered seeing a laundry basket there. Yup, there it was. I took it with me to the living room and went to kitchen to get a trash bag. This was going to take a while. I looked under the couch. Was that a slice of pizza? I didn't want to know how long it had been there.

Finally, after almost two and a half hours I was satisfied to result. No dirty clothes anywhere else but in the laundry basket, all dishes were done and every room was generally spotless. Mom should be proud of me. Now I could have a cup of coffee.

"Why there isn't coffee maker in this apartment?!" I yelled out loud after realizing the facts. No coffee grounds, no coffee maker, no coffee. How the heck do they survive through the days?! I sighed annoyedly when I heard the doorbell. I walked to the door.

"Hi, Zex. I brought some leftovers from work!" Luxord asked as soon as I had let him in. He walked straight to the kitchen, holding two paper bags, one in each hand. "How was your day?"

"Could've been worse", I replied and closed the door before following Luxord. "Where's Xal?"

"He called me during the lunch break. Said he'll come home till six." There was a moment of silence. "Zexion, you wouldn't have to clean here", he said.

I shrugged and sat down. "I happen to live here as well", I told. "I wouldn't like to live in the middle of the chaos."

Luxord smiled ashamedly, filling a pot with water. "Maybe that's a bit too strongly said."

I rolled my eyes and took the bread roll from the bag. "I found a half-eaten pizza under the couch", I snarled, taking a bite. "And there were a pair of socks in the bathroom's sink."

"The socks were Xaldin's", Luxord told. "He always leaves his clothes to the bathroom when he comes home at night. And you don't want to know about the pizza." Correct, I truly didn't intend to know. Luxord took a box of Earl Grey teabags from a cabinet. "Tea?"

I frowned. "Isn't there a coffee maker? I need caffeine."

Luxord shook his head. "No coffee maker", he said and continued with a sigh. "We don't have a toaster, either. If you find a cheap one then go ahead and buy it."

"I'll buy if I see one", I said and watched as Luxord poured hot water to teacups. "I guess I'll have to get used to live without coffee."

"It'll go fine", Luxord reassured and placed a cup with a teabag on my side of the table. "Tea has almost same amount of caffeine as coffee and it's healthier and even tastes better. Give it a try."

I looked at the cup in front of my eyes. Well, as long as there wasn't a coffee maker I wouldn't lose anything. I took a sip and grimaced. It tasted horrible.

"Some sugar, maybe milk, too?" Lux asked, holding back his laughter and handed a little bowl. I dropped few lumps of sugar into the cup and walked to the fridge.

"Definitely", I mumbled and took a milk carton. "It tastes foul."

Luxord shrugged. I had no idea how he could drink this. What I wouldn't do for caffeine, I thought, pouring milk to my tea. Well, at least these bread rolls were tasty.

"So you're starting the high school tomorrow", Luxord noted suddenly. He grinned. "Feeling nervous?"

I gave a smile and took another bread roll. "Not really. I've got everything ready. Ready for my three year punishment."

My comment made Luxord frown. "You should enjoy your years in high school", he told and sighed. "Instead of a normal high school I was sent to a boarding high school in London. Yuck, not fun at all. I shared my room for a year with some Dane who played flute all the time." He continued rambling about his high school years until there was a sound of the front door opening.

"I'm home", Xaldin called. He walked, shambled would be a more exact word to describe it, to the kitchen and sat down. "What's for dinner?" he asked.

"Leftovers. I didn't go shopping today", Luxord replied and stood up to take a cup for Xaldin. "Zexion starts in high school tomorrow so I thought we could eat out or order something for once."

Xaldin looked slightly bothered and he remained silent until Luxord gave him a cup of tea. "I won't get my paycheck before Wednesday", he told.

"We could use our savings", Luxord insisted. "The first day of high school is only once."

This was going too far. I didn't care about high school so there was no way Xaldin and Luxord, well mainly Luxord, would use their savings because of it. Even a blind man could see how out of money they are! I shook my head. "I don't care about the first day of high school", I said and Lux gasped in shock so I continued quickly. "But we can order some Chinese to celebrate it. On my tab."

I sighed loudly when I saw Xaldin and Luxord exchanging disapproving looks. "No. No", Xaldin said and put the empty tea cup to the table. "Gabriella…"

"It's Brie", I corrected automatically. My mother truly disliked the name 'Gabriella'. It explains why she never called her parents to our home.

"Yeah, Brie", Xaldin repeated. "She wouldn't like if we use your money to get 'some Chinese' as you represent it."

Luxord nodded. "Xaldin is right", he sighed. "Though… I'd love to have a huge portion of chow mein noodles."

"Don't push your luck, Luxord", Xaldin snarled and glanced at me. "And Zex, we're not using your money."

"You have to stop treating me like a kid", I reminded. "I'm sixteen. I'm starting high school tomorrow. I'm buying some Chinese. Yay. End of this conversation."

Xaldin frowned but didn't argue more and Luxord had problems to stop smiling. So we're eating Chinese tomorrow. Now I only get over the, oh, so amazing first day of high school.

I slapped my alarm automatically when it started ringing. Has anyone invented a more annoying sound than that? It showed the correct seven o'clock as I opened my eyes. I sat up and listened. The apartment was soundless; it meant that Xaldin and Luxord had already left. I opened the curtains. I had put them to window with Xaldin after dinner. This morning the sun was barely visible behind all the dark clouds. It reminded me of Forks. I grabbed the black t-shirt from the chair next to the bed. While trying to find a pair of jeans I mentally cursed forgetting to wash my better bondage-pants after Saturday night.

I decided to skip the breakfast as finding the jeans had been more difficult task than I had thought. I snatched my gray hoodie, took my bag from under the bed and made sure the key Luxord borrowed me was there before I left the apartment and ran down the staircase. I had few minutes to calm myself down at the bus stop before the bus was there, just in time. I took a seat from the back of the bus and raised my headphones on. Nobody seemed to pay any attention on me, which was a pretty much a good thing.

I was the last to step out from the bus in front of the one of Seattle's most popular high schools. The school was actually a normal-looking building. It had old brownish brick walls and high windows. Only at the yard were probably more teenagers than in my whole old school. I looked at the papers mom had printed in the beginning of summer when I had got know that they had accepted me to start my studies here. 1-C was going to be my class, and according to the map it was in the second floor. I startled when someone suddenly pulled my headphones off.

"Hello there?" I turned around. There was this one guy with kinda curly, yet spiky blonde hair and camouflage-print hoodie. He was grinning widely. "Need some help here?"

I grimaced. "No, thank you very much", I replied and turned the music off. "I can read a map."

The boy laughed. "Yeah, I can believe that", he said. "You just looked kinda spaced out. You're first-grader, aren't you?"

I nodded and gave a confused smile. "Yeah, but…"

"Me too!" the guy exclaimed and his smile widened even more. "I'm…!" He's overactive pattering was interrupted by a yell.

"Jackson! Get your ass over here!"

He looked a bit ashamed because he was being called in the middle of the sentence. "Sorry, gotta go!" he told, waving me. "See ya, later!" I just waved back. So, that was Jackson. Neither that was his first name or not. The bell rang few minutes after I had committed the map to my memory and stuffed it among with other papers back to my bag.

In the class room I picked up a seat next to the windows. In front of me sat a girl with shortish, chocolate brown hair and bright green eyes. Seriously, they were very bright. She would have been pretty in my eyes if she wouldn't look so weird mix of a nerd and a hippie. First of all she wore eyeglasses, which wouldn't be a bad thing if they weren't so awkward. Secondly, she had flower-patterns all over her stuff: in her clothes, her bag, even her note book had orange flowers. Seriously, this place is a high school, not a kindergarten. Next to me instead sat a guy with spiky blonde hair in sleeveless white hoodie and gray jeans. He didn't smile, at all, and neither did he look anyone in particular. He seemed to care even less than I did as he just stared at nothing.

"Hello class." The teacher who was now talking in front of the class looked carefully at us. She was young, probably just started her career but with her blue and white tunic she looked a bit older than she presumably was. Her brown hair barely reached her shoulders. She smiled. "Now that everybody should be here…"

I rolled my eyes as the word 'everybody' echoed in my head. I was sure that most of the students knew one another at least from middle school. I knew no one. The room's door was slammed open and the class was interrupted before it had even started.

"Wait!" Okay, I knew no one except that guy.

The teacher smirked as Jackson closed the door behind himself. "You're late", she told and smacked her lips disapprovingly. She looked at the list where probably the names of the students were. "Name?"

The guy grinned. "Hayner Jackson. I hope I won't get detention in the first day. My ma would kill me."

"Sit down, Hayner", the teacher said and gave a smile. "I don't feel like giving detention right now." She waited until Hayner sat down behind me before she continued. "So, now that everyone is here." She glanced quickly at Hayner but he seemed to not notice it. "We could use this class for getting known to each other. I'm Yuna Falls, and I'll hopefully be your English teacher and form mistress for the rest of the year. Nice to meet you." Then she pointed at the girl next to the door. "You could start. Tell us your name."

The girl had shoulder length curly black hair and she wore a sleeveless denim overalls. Compared to others in class she had fairly tan skin and deducing from her way to sit she appeared to be a tomboy. She grimaced at the teacher. "Audrey Ramirez." She spat her name out. I thought she would have a Mexican accent but I was wrong.

The teacher nodded, marked something on her list and smiled. "Next."

I tried to memorize the names and faces of my classmates but most of them just didn't stay in mind. Hayner didn't even try to listen; he was too busy talking with some guy next to him. I glared at the spiky haired blonde. He was going to be next. The teacher gave him an encouraging smile.

The guy rolled his eyes. "Roxas Strife", he said and again the teacher marked something on her list.

After Hayner it was my turn. "Zexion Spears", I said. My name sounded like a pronunciation exercise and I sighed relievedly when no one pointed it out. The girl in front of me trembled nervously.

"My name is Olette Fitzherbert", she told and there was small bursts of laughter.

"How do you spell that?" someone yelled from the back of the class. Now I understood why she had been so nervous. Olette flushed ashamedly at the comment and didn't raise her eyes from her desk until the rest of the class had also introduced themselves. The teacher smiled as she glanced at her papers. She seemed delighted. I guessed it meant that no one was absent. I looked around the class and made a quick calculation. 28. I counted again and ended up in same result. 28 students was quite a lot in my opinion.

Yuna put her papers on her desk and moved to write to the blackboard. "On this course we'll study the classics of literature." There was loud sighs as she wrote a date for all to see. Then she gave a sheaf of papers to Su Pao, the small Asian girl in the front desk. "Share these."

As Su shared papers Hayner touched my shoulder and grinned widely as I turned my head to him. "Great, we're in same class", he hummed. "I could use some help reading the map. I'm Hayner."

I gave a slight smile. "Zexion."

"When it's lunch break I'll introduce you to my gang. Would it be okay if I call you Zexy, Zexy? Oh, I already started it. Your name is bit weird to pronounce. I thought we could…"

"Hayner, please!" the teacher yelled, growing tired of Hayner's gabbling. "Be quiet for a minute or your ma won't be happy when you bring home a note!"

Hayner laughed. "Sorry, Mrs. Falls!"

"Thank you." Yuna coughed. "So now you all have lists of the books we're going to talk about during these weeks. I'll now pair you up and each pair will choose a book from the list to read in this course. You're going to do a presentation of the book and present it in front of the class." There was a moment of silence before she continued. "I'll now announce the pairs."

I hated doing school work in pairs. I always got to work either with some slacker or some nerd. I listened carefully as the names were said. Yuna had decided the pairs by our last names so I more or less knew when she was going to say my name.

"Zexion Spears and Roxas Strife." I heard Hayner mumbling something behind my back but I didn't listen. I glanced at the blonde next to me. He was writing something down and he didn't even look at me. And I had thought I was melancholic. Soon he passed me a note.

"Have you read this one?" he asked. I looked at the piece of paper. All three words were written in a feminine cursive.

"Pride and Prejudice?" I read quietly out loud and looked suspiciously at Roxas. He nodded. I had watched it with my mom so I practically knew what it was about. I smiled and he automatically raised his hand and beckoned the teacher to come over.

Yuna walked to us. "You've decided already?" Her gaze wandered between me and Roxas.

"We chose this one", Roxas said and showed the list of books. He had underlined the title. Yuna smiled at our decision and nodded.

"'Pride and Prejudice' is taken", she announced to the class and turned back to us, or mostly back to Roxas. "I heard you all three are starting here today." Roxas gave a faint smile.

"Yes, we are", he said. Some student called for Yuna from the other side of the class before she had time to talk more. Yet their short conversation had made me curious. Did she talk about Roxas' siblings or cousins? I felt a familiar touch at my shoulder. I had got almost used to Hayner interrupting my thoughts.

"Hey, Zexy. Got a minute?"

"What now?" I snarled. I thought I sounded too mean but Hayner seemed not to care.

"Borrow me a ruler."

I didn't bother to ask why he hadn't a ruler with him but I handed him mine, making him smile mischievously. I started regretting giving my ruler to Hayner as he took a piece of an eraser and put it on the ruler's other end. I felt even a little sad when the eraser's piece hitted the head of the chubby, black-haired guy whose name I didn't remember. He glanced at Hayner but didn't do anything. Hayner gave my ruler back, snickering.

"Thanks."

I didn't comment, and neither did Roxas who had watched, too. Most pairs had during this chosen the books to read and Yuna had moved to her desk.

"Those who haven't chosen their book, choose it for the next English class", she said.

As the bell rang I left the class with Hayner. For some reason Roxas had joined us, even though he didn't talk much. He apparently was Hayner's friend, or at least he knew him. We had ten minutes before next class, and according to my timetable I had art. It was an optional class so Hayner who hadn't chosen it had something else. Yeah, he had P.E. Roxas instead had art. For some reason I'd started to like Roxas who was restrained more than Hayner who was only quiet for few seconds before he started talking again.

So I was kinda happy when Hayner had to left to the gym. In the art class were white walls and large windows. There were five round tables around the room and structures and paintings made by upper class students on the side tables. Roxas walked straight to the table which was already taken. There was a girl who had short black hair, styled in pixie-style and a light blue tank top with a black vest. She stared at us.

"Morning, Roxas", she greeted Roxas but only glanced at me weirdly.

Roxas gave a bit happier smile than usually. "Morning, Xion. Where's Sora?"

"He has P.E.", that girl called Xion said. "Just like you should have." Roxas snorted at the comment and sat down to the table. Xion was looking at me weirdly. She turned to Roxas. "Is he your friend?" she asked. I gave her a smile. Was she blushing?

"No, he's just a stranger I'm going to do a presentation with", Roxas said, trying to find something from his bag. My smile fell. Thanks a bunch, Roxas. The blonde snickered. "Just kidding. That's Zexion Spears. We're in same class."

"Nice to meet you, Zexion", Xion said with a smile. "I'm Xion Strife." I nodded and sat next to Roxas. I could now easily see they were siblings. I noticed that they had similar features and their eyes were same shade of blue. They looked a much alike, even though Xion smiled more than Roxas. I had a weird feeling she was staring at me but I tried not to think about it.

Before we could start a proper conversation a man marched to the class and slammed the door closed. He was mostly bald middle-aged man in an old dress suit. I heard someone snickering at his appearance. The man stood proudly next to his desk, sizing up the class room and us. "Listen up, class. I'm your art teacher, Gunther Thug", he told. I snorted. He had such a weird accent. Oddly enough it suited him but it didn't make it less funny.

We had to introduce ourselves to Mr. Thug, and he commented soon as he recognized someone's name or knew if he or she had older siblings. As today's assignment he announced we should draw something what represents ourselves as persons. I stared at the blank A4 paper sheet in front of my eyes. I've always had problems to express myself and now I have to do it again. What represents me well enough? I looked what Roxas and Xion were drawing.

Roxas' paper wasn't as empty as mine. He had drawn black and white checkered pattern on the lower edge of the sheet and few flames. Xion instead had drawn the paper full of rainbows and flowers and other girly stuff. I sighed and looked at my paper again. This wasn't helping. I let my gaze wander around the class. I recognized Olette who was sitting in the next table with few other girls. The teacher walked from one table to another, looking what we had drawn. He stood a moment next to Olette and smiled. Perhaps Olette was a good drawer.

I bit my lip when Mr. Thug walked towards our table. He rolled his eyes to my empty sheet and looked then at Roxas' paper. "What does your drawing represent about you?" he asked.

Roxas glared at the teacher. "Flaming queer." The teacher twitched and he moved to the next table without even stopping to look at Xion's drawing. It seemed to not bother her, though. She giggled at Roxas' comment.

"That was a good one", she hummed and took a look of Roxas' paper. "But what does it really represent? Your inner fire or something?" Roxas gave a faint smile.

"Yeah", he sighed. "Something like that."

I turned back to my paper and tried to concentrate. I closed all annoying sounds out. What does represent me as a person? I frowned and just before the bell rang again I had finished drawing a frog. I like frogs. They can't be long in the direct sun light and they like rain and darkness, just like I. Close enough.

Roxas walked next to me and Xion tiptoed before us. Hayner was waiting for us at the corridor with few others, two girls and one boy. The boy had spiky brown hair and he had a strong resemblance especially with Roxas. He had blue eyes just like Roxas and Xion and he wore exactly same hoodie like Roxas, except that his was red instead of white.

"Hi, Sora", Xion said. "Hi, all." She gained greetings and smiles.

Also the brunette whose name she had said individually smiled widely. "How was art, sis?"

"I drew a nyan cat", Xion hummed. So Sora was also part of the Strife family. Triplettes, that's nice. Xion looked askingly at the others. "So, we're going to Radiant?"

Hayner gave a grin. "Who would eat at school's cafeteria, anyway."


	3. Chapter III

Chapter III

Radiant Garden was a small restaurant-cafe five minutes away from the school. It was decorated with warm and bright colors; it was spacious, full of light and people. Truly a place where I usually wouldn't go. We bought lunch, and I chose a plain cheese-and-ham sandwich and apple juice. I sat between Hayner and Xion on the other side of the table. Roxas and Sora were on the other side, and Su Pao sat at the different table with the girl who had fashion clothes and light brown mid-long hair. I had recognized her to be Selphie Tilmitt. She was in our class, too. We had about half an hour time until the last class would begin. I was kinda grateful this was going to be a short day.

I listened the conversation between Hayner and Roxas while I ate my sandwich. They talked about inter-school championships as Sora instead played with his mobile. He seemed to be a quick when it came to texting, never minding the touch screen his Samsung had. I glanced at Xion from the corner of my eye. She hadn't touched her cinnamon roll, for some reason.

"Do any of you know any good Chinese restaurant nearby?" I asked.

Hayner blinked as my question interrupting his conversation with Roxas. "I don't", he said shaking his head lightly. Suddenly he flashed a bright smile "But I know someone who might know!" Suddenly the championships didn't matter much. He started quickly writing a text. There was a loud chuckling in the next table.

"Aww", Selphie giggled. "You just gave Hayner a reason to text to Fuu Almasy."

Hayner blushed brightly and stood up. "Shut up, Tilmitt!" He put his phone back to his pocket.

"Who's Fuu Almasy?" I had to ask. Selphie's giggling increased.

"She's in the same class with Sora. In 1-A, to be exact", she told with a mischievous smile. "She's Hayner's crush."

Su nodded eagerly. "But Fuu's big brother is kinda over protective. And he has hated Hayner since they were in middle school. That's why Hayner can't approach Fuu carelessly."

"Yeah, Seifer Almasy", Selphie sighed dreamily. "He's quite a catch. Handsome, stylish, intelligent, sweet…"

"And rich", Su added. "No wonder Hayner is such an underdog compared to him. Fuu would never date him because Seifer is so perfect. She doesn't even talk him."

As the conversation between Selphie and Su turned even more to Seifer I decided to stop listening to it. I heard a loud beep a while later. It was Hayner's phone, and deducing from his wide smile it was from Fuu. He raised his phone theatretically.

Selphie smirked. "Ooh! Fuu texted back", she snarled, mimicking Hayner.

The blonde couldn't care any less. "The Lucky Cricket!" he announced and seemed almost euphoric that Fuu had answered him. I couldn't help but smile a little. Now I had a name of restaurant and Hayner was quiet for once.

Everybody else except me, Selphie and Su bought ice creams before we left back to school for the last class. Xion had offered me one too but I had refused. I liked ice cream too, of course, but the weather was too chilly in my opinion for such a cold dessert.

The last class was math, nothing really import. Our math teacher, Eraqus Hamill, was actually kinda nice but instead of teaching he talked about his former students. He had tied his messy black hair into a high ponytail, and I guessed he was a part Italian, or maybe Spanish or Mexican, due to his skin color and first name. He wore a beige sweater with khaki pants and he looked quite a normal teacher. But yeah, all we did was signing our math books.

"If you lose or broke it, you'll have to buy a new one", he had said, fiddling his moustache.

Thank god the lesson didn't last long. One more story about how good grades Terra, whoever he might be, had got didn't interest me at all. That Eraqus said he remembered all his students through the years and I could believe that. As the bell rang I grabbed my bag and the math book. The next bus will leave in less than ten minutes and I have to go back to the apartment before leaving to find that Chinese restaurant.

"Zexion, wait!" I turned around. Xion ran towards me. That was exactly what I needed, I thought sarcasticly. Women are so complicated and talkative this can't lead to anything good. Xion smiled. "I used school's computer and printed you this. I thought you would need it."

She handed the paper sheet to me. I blinked twice. "Thanks." Xion had printed me directions to 'The Lucky Cricket' and their opening hours. I immediately regretted what I had thought about her and women in general. It had been more than a good thing that she had stopped me. The restaurant was along my way to the apartment. Now I didn't need to do two trips. Xion looked at me askingly.

"Maybe we could go together sometimes?" she asked with a smile. I raised my eyebrow. She went all red and turned her eyes down. "I mean… with Roxas, Sora and Hayner", she mumbled. "And maybe with Selphie and Su, too."

"Sounds nice", I had to admit. I didn't really have other friends so having some time together won't hurt. I glanced at the clock on the wall. "But now I have to go. I don't want to miss the bus."

Xion looked again at me. "Oh, right. Sorry."

I shook my head and stuffed the paper to my bag. "No, thanks for helping me. See you tomorrow, Xion."

"I can't wait."

I jumped out from the bus on the sixth street. The restaurant was on the other side of it. It was a half empty place and made me wonder why Fuu had recommended it. I sat down and opened the menu. Most of the dishes sounded completely weird and I actually didn't know what to order even though the prices were low. Luxord wanted noodles but aren't those a bit difficult to bring back to apartment. I sighed and continued reading the list.

It didn't take long until a waitress in black Chinese costume with peacock print came to the table. She didn't look much younger than me. She had short raven hair and boyish frame. "Welcome to the Lucky Cricket", the smiling girl greeted. "Have you decided what you want to order?"

"I think I need few more minutes", I told.

The waitress nodded. "Would you like to drink something?" I shook my head and she gave a smile. "Well, I'll come back." Okay, back to the list. Spring rolls were always good choice, and they weren't very expensive. I tried to remember how much money I had with me. I could always order some cheese and bread sticks with rice or noodles but…

"Have you decided yet?" the waitress chuckled. I guess she had stood there a moment. "Or do you need some help? I could gladly recommend you something."

I had stared the list long enough so I gave a nod. "Go ahead." I glanced at her nametag. "Yuffie."

The waitress grinned. "Well, Mrs. Li's fried flounder with jasmine rice is awesome." She pointed at the menu where it showed fish courses. "But if you prefer meat…" She moved her finger up the list. "…the ginger chicken is one great choice. Oh, I almost forgot. Are you eating here or…?"

"Is there a chance for home delivery?" I asked.

Yuffie gave me thumbs up and smiled mischievously. "Yup, and if your check exceeds 100 dollars you get the delivery free."

"That's kind of expensive", I said with a slight grimace. Hundred dollars divided by three, is over thirty dollars for one and if that doesn't include taxes…

"It's a special service. Take it or leave it", Yuffie hummed, getting tired to wait. But I had to think about it carefully. 100 dollars was lots of money. I got that much once a month from mom when I had helped with housework and got good grades.

"Can't we talk about this?" I tried. "Knock down the price for a bit? 70 dollars?"

"Nope. It's 100 dollars or no delivery. No student or retiree discount."

I glared at the menu. I promised we'll eat Chinese, and so we will. Dishes weren't so expensive so making it up to 100 dollars was far from easy. Okay, the spring rolls are on my list. If I took to portions of 15 rolls we could eat them for the rest of the week. I would have to take one portion of both, the chicken and the flounder, and maybe pork, too. Chow mein noodles, fried noodles, rice noodles, jasmine rice, check. I sighed. It still made only 88, 20 dollars.

"What about you pay that 100 dollars and I give you chopsticks for free?" Yuffie asked. She was still here.

"I'm trying to think my order", I snarled. "100 dollars and…"

Her eyes widened. "So you're actually going to order something!" She laughed out loud. "I was just kidding with you! We don't have delivery service here!"

"…What?" I twitched. "What did you just say?"

Few moments later I had rushed through the cuisine to the backroom. Yuffie tagged along laughing manically and every while she begged me to forget everything about those hundred dollar delivery services. I didn't listen. There was a tall, Chinese man with ponytail sitting at the desk, filling up some important-looking papers. He stood up and glared me.

"This is staff only", he told. "I have to ask you to leave." I shook my head. I was more than annoyed right now. That man knew exactly which lever not to pull. And yet, he pulled it. "If you don't leave this instant…!"

I glared at Yuffie. "You better explain this. Now."

The man looked quite surprised. "Kisaragi, what's going on?" he asked, now sounding worried.

"Oh, hi Mr. Li. Well, umm", Yuffie said, scratching her head. She was still smiling, yet a bit awkwardly this time. "I kinda overdid one of my jokes this time. No one ever believes them, really, but this time…"

With a frown the man turned to the kitchen. "Mulan", the man called, and a woman with long black hair came running from the cuisine.

"Is there a problem?" she asked, wiping her hands of some kind of sauce. Mr. Shang pointed at Yuffie and shook his head. The woman sighed. "Yuffie…"

"Yeah, yeah! I know already. It was meant to be funny."

I glanced at my clock again. This wasn't going to get much worse. Luxord and Xaldin were probably home right now. Fuck my life. I listened the conversation between them, and wasn't sure was it English, Chinese, or Japanese anymore.

"We're so sorry because of Yuffie", the woman finally said, sounding truly sorry about everything. She smiled sadly. "How can we repay this?"

"If it's not too much to ask", I started. "I would like to order now."

I had decided to order everything I had thought about. We could as well eat Chinese the rest of the week. When the 'delivery service' was revealed to be just a sick joke I didn't care anymore. I just wanted to go back to apartment. I wasn't angry but disappointed. And at some point I wished Yuffie got fired.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" the woman asked after almost half an hour when she gave me three paper bags full of plastic containers. She had sold everything with almost 20 percent cheaper than she should have. "We don't want to lose potential customers. This is just a small family business."

I paid and answered her question with a simple shrug. I couldn't say I was coming again so I left the place with no promises.

The bus stopped in front of the apartment houses. I walked to the third one, which was the one where Xaldin's two-room flat was. I walked quietly up the empty stairway to the fifth floor. The door wasn't locked; Xal and Lux were pretty confident that their humble home didn't have anything worth of stealing. I went straight to the kitchen. Luxord was there, playing solitaire. I had heard the shower so Xaldin wasn't absent for once.

"How was the first day?" Luxord asked and picked up the cards that I could empty the bags to the table. The scent of Asian spices wafted in the air. Lux took plates from the cupboard to the table. He looked at me askingly. "Well?"

"Not so bad as I expected", I replied finally.

Luxord smiled brightly. "I knew it wouldn't be so bad", he told and sat down. "Did you get new friends?"

"A few", I had to admit. I didn't call them friends yet, though. The Strife siblings were nice, and Hayner wasn't too annoying. Selphie and Su weren't so bad either. I folded the paper bags into the kitchen drawer for the later use. "We have to do a presentation with a pair in English. We've got 'Pride and Prejudice'."

"I know that one", Luxord said with a smile. He had found the chow mein noodles from one of the containers and looked more grateful than hungry. The sound of shower running had silenced. "The movie version has Keira Knightley", Lux continued. "She's from the same area as I." That was a new fact. I already knew Lux studied in UK but I had no idea he was born there.

"Really? I thought you're from US."

Luxord shook his head. "No, I moved to Seattle about a year ago." He was quiet for a moment. "Besides, before that I lived in New York for couple years."

If I wanted to move in some big city it would've been New York. Not Seattle, definitely not San Francisco, but New York. I liked the image of that city. I wondered why Luxord had left the city and decided to ask about it. And in a moment Luxord almost choked on his noodles.

"I… I dun't know", he mumbled after few coughs. He gave me an abashed smile. His British accent was more audible when he stammered. "No real reason, I guess."

Well, it wasn't my business anyway, I thought with a simple shrug. I was eating a cheese stick when Xaldin crawled to the kitchen, drying dripping wet locks. He sat down, his towel on his shoulders.

"Pass me the soya. I need to get going soon", he growled to Luxord while collecting food to his plate. "I'd been called to a night shift."

Luxord frowned, mumbling how they called him always on such short notice. The blonde was clearly disappointed but he did as was told and gave the small bottle to the raven.

"Seriously", I sighed as I grew tired of being kept in the dark. Of course Xaldin had told me when I moved here that he won't be here a lot but I never asked what his occupation actually was. Well, it wasn't late for that. "What are you doing for living?" I asked, glaring askingly at my only cousin.

Xaldin instead didn't even look at me. "All kinds of things", he replied simply.

"What are you doing tonight?" I asked as his response didn't please me.

"Nothing much", Xaldin said, this time giving me quick glance. "Maintaining order and dealing with idiots who cause trouble." That sounded like he was a doorman at a bar or at a night club, which he probably was.

"What about tomorrow?" I asked with a nod. We had been talking only about this night.

"Nobody knows", Xal replied with a shrug. He had already finished eating. "I'll probably be out helping at the building site. Thanks for the dinner." He stood up for leaving.

"Why don't you have a real job?" I frowned.

Xaldin looked a bit confused before he grinned uneasily. "I hadn't money to study after high school. Getting a part-time job was the only option since I had to pay my rent and bills."

"Oh." It always took me off guard to remember how narrow-minded people Xaldin's parents were. I remembered Uncle Spears being always a little strict when it came to obeying rules and orders. A very conservative man, I could see it now when I knew better. Xal had started a new life with nothing.

I cleaned the table after Xaldin had left to work. I also noticed Luxord had gone to shopping earlier. The fridge looked fuller than usually when I tried to make the leftovers of our dinner to fit there. The blonde had retreated to the living room. The TV was on and he was sitting on the couch, his legs crossed. The sound of television was muted and the credits of some show were seen on the screen.

"What're you watching?" I asked from the living room's door. I was a bit tired, and grateful we hadn't gotten any other home work except to start reading the book for the presentation. I didn't even have that book so I would have to either buy it or borrow it from the library.

"Nothing yet, the movie starts at ten", Lux told with a faint smile, not sounding very cheerful. "Want to watch?"

I shook my head. "I think I'll just go to bed."

"Right. You have school tomorrow. Good night."

"Night."

I went to my room and locked the door behind myself. While getting ready to bed I looked through my phone's in-box; there was a message from mom. She said she'll send me present from San Francisco when she gets there by the end of the week. Right. I didn't care much about the present or San Francisco but knowing mom just cared about me a lot. I gave a smile and placed my phone to the table. I should call her tomorrow.


	4. Chapter IV

Chapter IV

The whole morning, first classes and random conversations with the others passed in blur and before I even thought about it much it was already a lunch break when I woke up from my mental come and found myself from Radiant Garden. I sat in the same table as yesterday with the Strifes and Hayner. Su and Selphie weren't there with us. I recalled it had something to do with some upper class guy. I hadn't really eaten anything, I wasn't hungry, and so I decided to look around instead. A couple eating a portion of ice cream together, a student with his nose stuck in a math book, few girls giggling two tables away from us. Nothing interesting.

Then, a group on the other side of the café got my attention. "Who are those people on that corner table?" I asked from Hayner. There were four, how would I put it, outstanding people. They were clearly different from the rest of the customers. No one sat close to them even if the café was almost booked-up. I stared at them to get a better picture. One of them was more tanned than the others, his skin was almost mocha colored. His hair was white and mostly spiked up and it made his otherwise plain appearance more interesting. Next to him was instead was very pale boy with long, blue hair. I looked at him very carefully, and I was sure I saw and X-shaped scar on his face. He didn't look like a rebel, though, but something about him made me thought I wouldn't like to hang out with him. Two others, the girl with slicked back blonde hair and a feral grin and the man with messy, rosy pink hair didn't seem to match the image. They laughed loudly and chatted as the guys I first looked at more likely observed the other customers. I twitched as the tanned boy's stare met mine. I turned my eyes quickly away. What was that? I was sure I sensed hostility.

"Don't look at them!" Hayner barked with a voice not louder than a whisper as he noticed who I was referring to. "They don't like it." Now even Roxas who had been reading 'Pride and Prejudice' seemed to be half awake.

"Are they seniors?" I asked, even though it couldn't explain Hayner's worried and clearly disrespectful tone. Hayner tilted his head.

"Kinda", he said. "Those guys are from our school. They call themselves "the Thirteenth Order"." Hayner spat the group's name out in repulse. "The tanned dude is Xehanort Evans. He's in our age but already a senior. His older brothers Xemnas and Ansem graduated last year, and I still hear upper class guys talking about them." He looked over his shoulder. "The blunette with him is Saïx Ivory. Nobody really knows anything about him. Expect that he's always glued to either Xemnas or Xehanort. You never see him without them in public."

I nodded and Hayner continued his rant. "The girl is called Larxene Beck. She was the biggest bitch the school had seen in its thirty decades", he told with a slight smirk. "Gladly she graduated last year as well. And that pink thing over there with her is Marluxia Evergreen. And he's a guy, in case if you didn't notice. They are the bad guys." He emphasized the word _bad_. "They have the whole Seattle in their hands, not just the school. They act like they are part of mafia or yakuza, and they follow their own rules very strictly."

"But in addition to Xehanort and Saïx there are no younger members", Sora told suddenly with a wide smile. "We're kinda lucky."

I smirked. The Thirteenth Order, eh? It didn't actually sound very threatening. "Do they kick puppy dogs?" I asked sarcasticly.

"That's gross, Zexy", Hayner exclaimed and didn't hold back his laughter. "Yet it kinda strikes straight to the point! They're just like that!"

Roxas snorted at his friend's comment which made Hayner immediately took aback. "Oh, sorry, Roxy", he said, sounding quite sorry. "I didn't remember." I glanced at Hayner and he got what I was after. "One of the members of the Order was Roxas' friend", he told.

The blonde closed the book and gave us a smile. "No problem. I don't care anymore", Roxas said. Yet his tone told me he cared quite a lot. Anybody else seemed to not notice it, though. He left with Hayner and Sora to buy us ice creams for dessert and everyone except me were like nothing happened. I looked back at the table where the members sat. I wondered if some of them were the friend Hayner mentioned. None of them really seemed to be a person who would get along with Roxas.

Xion, who had stayed with me, let out a sigh. "If you're looking for Rox's friend he's not with them", she said and smiled faintly. When the others came back we didn't discuss about the Order or about Roxas' friend. Should I even call that person his friend? Were they even friends anymore?

As the day's last class I had history. The lecturer, Mr. Merlin Potter, was probably the oldest teacher in the whole school, even older than the school itself. He had long, gray beard and moustache and deep wrinkles and he even smelled like a geriatric. I had liked my old history teacher, Mr. Jenkins, quite a lot but that Merlin was made from completely different wood. He was very eccentric and I barely understood anything he taught. Xion looked as confused as I while the teacher wobbled around the class and mumbled more to himself than to us. To put it short I was going to have a lot independent studying.

When I got back to the apartment no one was there. I was getting used to it, though. In the fridge were the leftovers from yesterday. Not much was left anyway; Xal and Lux had probably taken some with them to work for lunch. With a sigh I took myself a plate from the cupboard and scooped rice and meat pieces onto it. I closed the micro's door and burring of it filled the kitchen as it started to warm up the portion. With a simple movement I took my phone from my left pocket and dialed a number I knew by heart. I waited few moments.

"Hello?" a bright female voice answered to my call.

"Hi, mom." I smiled as I heard mom gasp on the other end of the line. She probably didn't think I would call her. "How are things going on in San Francisco?"

"Oh, we're just fine here", my mom replied. "I really love San Francisco but I miss you so much. Phil works a lot but he bought for the three of us a beautiful house. We have a room for you, Zexion. I moved everything from your old room here so if you change your mind you'll always be welcome here." She silenced for a moment. "How's your school? Do you eat enough? I know you don't like school food but you can't get any thinner than you already are."

"It's… okay", I told. "I've got a few friends. And I won't skip lunches, don't worry."

"That's good! Very good!" mom exclaimed. "I knew you'll adapt well! What about Xal? Is it okay to live with him?"

I sighed. "Xaldin is nice, like always", I said. "And Luxord…"

"…Who?" mom noted, interrupting my sentence.

"Our roommate."

"Xaldin didn't mention he was living with someone", mom said, sounding very thoughtful. "What kind of person is he? Does he pay his part of bills? I'm not quite sure about Xaldin's ability to pick up the most reliable friends. He looks a bit like he… moves around in a bad company." Okay, so mom didn't trust Xal as much as I thought.

"Don't worry, mom", I said before she had a chance to start asking further questions. "He's a good guy. " The microwave made a loud beep, interrupting my phone call for few seconds. I moved my plate to the table and cursed loudly.

"Zex, what just happened?" mom asked, sounding a bit worried.

"Nothing", I snorted and turned the faucet on. "I just burned my hand."

I heard my mom chuckling. "You need to be more careful, honey." I rolled my eyes but of course she couldn't see it. I held my hand under the cold water and the burning feeling eased slowly. "You've always been a little clumsy when it comes to housework", she continued. "I should have taught you…"

"Hey, mom?" I interrupted her speech.

"Yes, dear?"

I was silent for a moment. I knew exactly what I needed to say and I had to say it to her now but the words got stuck to my throat. I took a deep breath and stopped the water from running. "Mom, I… I love you." I got it said and I felt myself so relieved that I did it. I smiled. "Don't ever change."

"Aww, honey, I love you, too", mom told, sounding now she was going to cry. I'd never been good with emotions. Maybe I was more like my father when it comes to it. Mom instead was very emotional. She laughed, she cried. Maybe she was even a bit irresponsible because she thought with her heart when she should have used her brains instead. I heard her swallowing her tears.

"I have to go now", I said as I didn't want to hear her crying. "I'll call you again. Bye, mom."

"Bye dear", mom told through her tears. "…Love you." I hung up and placed my phone on the kitchen table. My food waited for me on the table and I still had a slight burning feeling teasing my left hand. I felt lucky, and it was everything that matters.

I was for once sitting on the living room's couch when I heard the door opening. I had been reading my history book since I hadn't fully understood a single bit of Merlin's teaching. For once it was Xaldin who came back from work before the six o'clock news. I had already got used to that he wasn't here a lot.

Xal glanced first at the clock, then at me. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"Short day", I replied. Yup, my timetable in this course was going to be pretty easy. Monday was short, and so was Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday long, and Friday short again. Not forgetting I had only math, history, art, English literature, and biology. "Why are you here so early?" I asked.

"We finished a pipe repair on the Fifth Avenue in advance", Xaldin told and yawned loudly.

"Sleep debt much?" I asked with a grin.

"You don't say", Xal snarled. "Last night came home later than I intended so I got only couple hours of sleep before leaving to the site." He yawned again. "So if you don't mind…?"

I moved off the couch. "No problem. I'll be reading in my room."

I locked the door behind myself, knowing it wouldn't matter much was it locked or not. I dropped the history book to my bed. I actually didn't feel like studying, and I didn't even have history on Wednesdays so I decided to procrastinate it for awhile. I hadn't emptied all of my carton boxes so now it would have been a high time to finally do it. I sighed, looking at the box where I had kept some of my CDs and other easily breaking stuff. There wasn't a place to put them anyway I thought, glancing around so I just pushed the box back under the bed. I had filled all three drawers of my new desk with school supplies and moved my clothes to the small dresser in the corner. I hadn't paid any attention on it when I had moved here. It looked quite old and expensive, almost antediluvian. Well, it didn't stop me using it as my own. I had never been very fond friend of antique.

Few hours passed and I was sure Xaldin was still sleeping. I could hear him snoring through the door. Silently I left my room. Since I had made sure the keys were in my pocket I opened the apartment's door and walked down the stairs. On the third floor were two black leather suitcases. Was someone moving in? Or perhaps out? In the door was a name plate with two names, Silver and Hawkins, on it. I tilted my head towards the slightly opened door. The arguing emanated to the stairway.

"You know I can't stay here anymore!"

"Don't be a fool, Jimbo!"

"I'm serious! They won't let me get over with this!" The door opened. "I have to go now!"

The guy who rushed out the apartment wasn't much taller than me and not a lot older either. Probably in his early twenties, if even that that. In his old brownish jacket he looked a bit like a homeless guy and he had quite greasy, short brown hair. Well, not really that short, only shorter than mine, and tied on a small ponytail. He looked quite scared when he glanced around the staircase. Our gazes met for a split second and I looked like he was getting a heart attack. Seriously, he went all white. The guy just grabbed both of the leather cases and began to run down the stairs. I was shocked by his reaction. He had glanced at me like I had done something bad. I hadn't, right? I was just in wrong place in wrong time.

"Where was he going in such a hurry?" Luxord huffed, climbing up the stairs. I just shrugged. Luxord seemed quite irritated. Perhaps his workday didn't go well. "Youngsters in these days", the blonde continued, rolling his eyes. "Always going somewhere. And about that… Where were you going?"

"Just… somewhere", I told. "Xaldin's sleeping. I didn't want to wake him up by making noise."

Luxord's vexed expression vanished before he chuckled. "You can't wake that man up with noise. Or if you do you would need a cannon or something as loud."

We walked up the stairs back to the fifth floor.

"So… How was your day?" I asked, closing the door behind us. Luxord didn't look very happy when I asked it.

"It went fine", he murmured. "Some customers just were… Never mind." He tossed his boots to the shoe rack. "I'll wake Xaldin up."

Instead of following Lux to the living room where Xal was snoring peacefully I went to the kitchen and I took a tea pot and filled it with water. Yes, I was going to make some tea. In the morning I had heard from Xion that berry flavored tea wasn't so bad. She had bought me few tea bags from Radiant. It had been of the conversations which I had already almost forgotten. Only the reddish tea bag reminded me of that conversation. Maybe I should start paying more attention on my friends.

I awakened from my mental slumber. I heard Luxord talking to Xaldin, yet I wasn't sure Xal actually awake. He wasn't snoring anymore so I guess he had woken up. I looked from the door to the living room, being sneaky so that they didn't notice me.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty", I heard Luxord say. He was sitting on the couch, next to Xaldin. "Slept well?"

I saw Xaldin grimacing as he slowly sat up and stretched. "Not really."

"Hungry?" Lux asked a bit too sweetly in my opinion. I was kinda happy I couldn't see their faces well.

"I am", I heard Xal reply.

"I'll get you something from the kitchen", Lux told and stood up. I shuddered in slight disgust when he pecked a kiss on Xaldin's lips. "Wait here", I heard him say, and I quickly made myself to look I hadn't seen or heard anything. Seriously, what's wrong with these people? They knew I was here too and they still did things like that. I found it somehow disgusting.

Luxord blinked suspiciously when he arrived to the kitchen only seconds later. "Oh, you're making tea?" It wasn't actually a question. "I thought you didn't like it."

I collected the remains of my calmness. You just kissed my cousin in front of my eyes, I thought, trying to remember I had said to Xaldin that I was okay with the fact they were gay. And yes, I knew they were together in some point, even though Xal had denied it earlier. "I decided to give it another chance", I said.

Luxord smiled widely. "Good decision." He had taken the rest of the leftovers from the fridge and emptied them to a plate. "Have you eaten already?" he asked, looking at me. I just nodded as a response, filling three cups with the boiling hot water. We were silent until the micro beeped.

Xaldin had walked silently to the kitchen. He was standing at the door, leaning to the doorframe his arms crossed when I and Lux noticed him.

"I said you don't need to come here", Luxord snorted, holding the plate he had just taken out from the micro.

Xaldin grinned. "Since when I had eaten in the living room alone?"

The way they looked one another made me feel nauseous. It reminded me of mom and Phil.

"And before I forget", Xal hummed. He went back to the living room before Lux had asked what he was talking about. Soon he walked holding a black gadget. An old cassette radio from 80's or early 90's I guessed. I wondered would it even work. Xal put it to the side table, smiling proudly.

It worked, and the music filled the apartment. I was sure I had heard it sometime ago but I didn't really remember.

_No woman, no cry  
No woman, no cry  
Oh my Little sister, don't she'd no tears  
No woman, no cry…_


	5. Chapter V

Chapter V

I left to school after finding out there was nothing to do at the apartment. I mean, I had woken up a little too early and I had for once been awake when Xaldin and Luxord left to work but since I had even cleaned up the kitchen and read couple chapters from my history book I realized there was no point in staying within the four walls.

The school yard was almost empty, only very few students had bothered to come to school this early. I put my jacket which mom had bought me last autumn to the moist grass and sat on it. For the first time here I wished Hayner would just pop up from nowhere and cheer me up a little. Or annoy me more than ever. Both would have been fine. But no. There I was sitting alone. I sighed. At least it wasn't raining, or cold. Rather chilly, yes, but cold, no. I decided to do what I do best. And that's observing other people. Nonetheless there wasn't much to observe.

I looked around, trying to find anything worth for my time. All I saw were two giggling upper class girls with some magazine and some guys from school's sports team, who were having their morning warm-up. Some nerd had also shown up. I saw him scrambling to the front door in a hurry. Then I notice a certain blunette leaning to the wall right next to the door. Saïx Ivory, I repeated in my mind as I remembered his name. One of the members of the Thirteenth Order. He looked like he was waiting for someone. Waiting for either Xehanort or Xemnas, I corrected, remembering what Hayner had told me about them. Saïx was never alone but always glued to either of the Evans brothers. I snorted, grinning a bit. He looked like he was a puppy on leash, waiting for his owner to come and get him.

My smile dropped when I saw Xehanort coming from the front door in a long, black leather coat and white respirator mask. He looked truly like a gang member. Saïx glanced first at Xehanort, then at me. Xehanort shot me immediately with a glare. I guess Saïx had been observing me as well as I had been observing him. But from the way Xehanort grimaced I guessed I wasn't allowed to look at them.

Roxas and Xion came just before the bell rang. Sora wasn't with them. Roxas laughed. He said Sora had caught flu last night when he had gone to see his girlfriend. Kairi they told her name was. She studied in a private girl school. Not that I cared anyway. Hayner instead came to the first lesson late. He had overslept, and Yuna wrote his parents a note since that was already second time on this week. I sighed. Hayner had been late yesterday as well. We talk about the classics no one had chosen for the subject for the presentation. I wondered why I hadn't fallen asleep yet?

After the art lesson, which was fortunately the day's last actually, Xion stopped me in the hallway. "Um, Zexion?" She said and smiled awkwardly. "I need to buy a book but neither Roxas nor Sora wants to come with me." I nodded. Okay, so what do you want? She looked at me, pleadingly. "So, if you're not busy would you come with me? I mean, I just don't want to go alone and Selphie…"

Oh. "I don't see why not", I said. I hadn't bought a new book after I moved here and now I had a good opportunity. And I didn't even know where there was a bookshop in this city so I had no real reason to not go with her. "After school?" I asked.

Xion shook her head. "Um, a little later. I have to visit home before. Could we meet at Radiant about three thirty?"

I had agreed, and since I had nothing better to do I decided to go to Radiant right after the classes ended. I took a table from next to the window so I could see when she arrives. It wasn't even three o'clock yet so I took the history book from my bag and opened it. I really had to read it through. We had discussed about Industrial revolution today, and before it had missed the point of Scientific revolution. I frowned after reading first seven pages carefully through. One more revolution and I would forget the date when the Second World War started.

"Zexion!"

I closed the book as I heard a familiar voice. I turned to face the girl. Xion looked happier than usually. Very delighted, to be exact. She had changed her clothes since morning. Instead of blue hoodie and jeans she was wearing a black top and a pleat skirt with red tartan pattern. In addition she had a small, black purse. She fidgeted the hem of her skirt, seeming a bit nervous.

"Hi", she greeted, smiling at me.

I nodded, put the book back to my bag and stood up from the table. "You look great." Her face went all red because of the compliment.

"Tha-thanks", she stuttered. "Umm, shall we go now?"

We took a bus to get to the bookshop on the other side of Seattle. It belonged to some family friend of hers so she said she would get the book she wanted a lot cheaper than if she would just have gone to the local bookstore.

I took the white shopping basket and wandered around the bookshop while Xion tried to find the book she needed with the shop assistant. I liked bookshops. Not as much as liked libraries but I liked them. I had left most of my own books to grandma's house in Forks so I truly needed some literature to my room. Xaldin and Luxord didn't seem to read a lot since I had seen only some old music and sports magazines and newspapers. I picked a book and leafed through it and put it in my basket. Something old was playing on the radio. My fingers run on the backs of books, picking another book. After a quite long while I found myself standing in front of Xion. She frowned as she looked at me, holding tightly the biology book she was going to buy.

"Zexion, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes. How so?"

She pointed at the plastic basket I was holding. I looked at what I had collected, my eyes widening in confusion. 'Bob Marley and the Rastafari Movement', 'Motorcycling Guide for Safer Driving', and 'Look! It's a Puppy!' were books I would never read. I stared at them. I was losing my mind, and now there was a proof for it. Since there really was only one logical reason why I had picked up those books which it didn't sound logical at all no matter how many times I repeated it on my mind. It had been almost a week since I met him. Yes, I had met Marley in that rainy night when I had moved to Seattle. There was no sense I started thinking about him. I frowned, flipping my hair off from the front of my eye. It sometimes helped me to think better when I could clearly see. Maybe I had been subconsciously thinking about him through this time, I wondered. That explained the weird choice of books. And now that I thought about it more, Marley had been singing the song I heard from the radio yesterday. I wasn't that type of person who would think about someone I have met only once. It had been a short meeting. Very short and weird meeting, I corrected mentally. We hadn't told our names or anything. I shouldn't remember him. I should have forgotten him.

I guess I looked like I was in shock because Xion grabbed first my shoulders and shook me slightly before she placed her hand on my forehead. "You're burning hot!" she exclaimed and gazed at me, very worried look in her eyes. I pushed her hand away and barely could form a smile.

"I'm fine, Xion", I reassured her and retreated few steps. I hitted my back to a shelf and accidentally dropped my basket. The books fell from it and I kneeled down to pick up them up under the shop assistant's piercing glare. "I'll just… return these."

"I can do it", Xion just said when she took the books from me. "You don't look very well. You should go outside to get some fresh air." She gave me a faint smile. "I'll just buy this book and follow you then, okay?"

I stood outside the shop. It was indeed autumn, the temperature had got couple minus degrees more. I had felt my body temperature going back down so I didn't see any reason to need help from Xion anymore. She probably wouldn't agree with me. I sighed. I didn't know what had gone into me a moment ago.

I looked among the street. Endless shops, cafés, and restaurants one after another. People walking with their pets, or then hand in hand with their true loves. Business men talking to the phone, kids with bicycles, fancy dressed women. A red Ford Fiesta curved to the parking space on the other side of the road. There was a black pickup truck and a blue motorcycle already standing in front of the pub where also the red Ford stopped. Fuck, now I was even seeing things related to Marley, I cursed, staring at the parking lot. My mind had to be fucking kidding with me. I crossed the road to take a closer look of the vehicle. No, I had been right. It wasn't just a motorcycle. It was a Suzuki GS500E, to be exact. Marley's Suzuki. I walked around it, trying to find evidence that I was wrong. But nothing and I mean nothing, made me think otherwise. The truck next to the motorcycle even supported my thought. I didn't believe in coincidences but this was a coincidence. A big one.

I looked back to the bookshop, and hoped Xion would take her time. The pub's door squeaked open as I pulled it. The lightning was quite dim but otherwise the place looked rather comfy. Square shaped tables next to windows and dark red sofas with them, the bar desk was dark colored mahogany, quite a lot people regardless of the time of day.

Then I saw him, standing in front of the bar desk. In a black leather jacket, a guitar box on his back, leaning to the desk, alone. His hair was shaped differently. It was an odd mix of a mullet and a mohawk, quite outstanding I thought. And his hair color wasn't actually brown. It was more like dirty blond. But he was Marley. I could tell that no later than when I saw his side profile. I took a sharp breath. His eyes were a fascinating shade of sea green.

"Hi", I managed to murmur. I was conscious of the fact that he might have forgotten me. Who wouldn't have? He turned his gaze at me. He looked quite shocked until the glint of understanding came visible in his eyes. He remembered me.

"You shouldn't be here", was the first thing he said. I frowned. That was definitely something you'll say when meet someone after a while.

"Nice to see you, too", I snarled with a smirk. He didn't smile.

"Seriously", he mumbled, a bit nervously even. "This isn't a joke. You should stay away from me." He glanced around before locking his eyes on me. "So leave now." He almost begged. "Please."

Okay, he begged. He seemed sorry to tell me to go away but it might have been just my imagination. I want to know what's going on, Marley, I told myself. I wanted to ask why he was so scared. He was scared, right? It was written all over him.

"No." It was everything what came out from my mouth. I even shook my head to emphasize it. I wasn't going to leave yet, even though a part of me didn't want to stay either.

"Come on", he mumbled in a more forcing tone now. "Xiggy will come back soon and he won't like if I…" He trailed off. "He doesn't forget faces." Marley must have been talking about the owner of the truck. And he didn't like to talk about him.

"How's Lyra?" I asked, trying to turn the atmosphere less awkward for both of us. His eyes widened because of my sudden question. He even smiled a bit.

"She's fine", he said, sounding a bit more relieved. Yet, he was still tense. Even my common sense was telling me to go away now. But there was one more question to ask.

"I want to know your name", I said. I guess I sounded too commanding. Marley had taken aback, and he shook his head furiously.

"It would be better if you don't know it", he said.

"I don't care." I truly didn't. "Mine's Zexion. Tell me yours."

He strongly hesitated to say anything. "It's… Demyx", he finally mumbled.

"Demyx." I repeated it aloud, making him nod. It didn't sound like Marley at all. But I liked it. It suited him better. "I'll go now."

He gave me a partly sad smile. "I'm sorry", he said quietly. "And thank you."

I just nodded, left the pub not looking back and walked across the road. Xion was further away, and seemed to be almost panic-stricken.

"Zexion! Where've you been?" she cried out, running to me. She dropped the plastic bag where the book she had bought was and hugged me tightly. "When you weren't here I… I…" She swallowed. "You made me worried." Few tears trickled down her cheeks.

"You overreacted", I said, pushing her away from me. She whimpered, ready to start crying if I wouldn't have a good excuse. "I just… I went to use a bathroom", I lied, hoping it didn't sound too untrue. "I should have waited for you but… You know."

Xion blinked couple times and dried her eyes. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "No, no! It's alright. I just thought…" She raised her hand to touch my forehead. "You don't feel feverish anymore." She changed the subject herself. Good. I picked up the plastic bag and gave it to her.

"I guess we'll go home now", I said, hoping she would agree with me. And she did.

I found myself lying from my bed in my bedroom. I didn't remember falling asleep but apparently I had slept few hours after I had got back. And I hadn't seen a weirder dream in my life. Mostly it had been only colors, abstract figures, and sounds. No words, only sounds. Waves lapping, wind blowing. And something in that had brought Marley back to my mind. No, not Marley. Demyx. That was his name. I sat up.

"It can be a fake name", I said to myself. I wanted to believe it wasn't faked. I really wanted. There was a knock from my door. I had locked it again.

"Hey, Zex", Luxord hummed as I opened the door. "Guess who's got a letter?" He showed a piece of mail to me, smiling widely. I pointed at myself, suspiciously. He nodded. "That's right." He handed it to me. "They've changed your address. It's from San Francisco."

So it's from mom. "Thanks", I said.

Lux smiled. "No problem."

I locked the door again and went to my bed. I tore the letter open very carefully. It had been sent in the express mail so I expected it to be something important. There was an A4 piece of paper, full of text. It was written in mom's typical, messy handwriting. Concluding from the date she had sent the letter yesterday. Right after my call, I realized, reading the first sentences. My eyes widened. This was my souvenir from San Francisco.

I run from my room to living room where Xaldin and Luxord were watching TV. Xaldin grinned widely when he saw me being so exhausted.

"You really have it…?" I asked.

They just laughed until Xaldin finally calmed himself down and flipped up a piece of plastic. "You mean this?" he snorted. I nodded furiously, making them laugh again, this time even more.

"Come on", I sighed in quite snarling tone.

Xal stood up from the couch and walked to me, still snickering. "Here you go", he hummed, handing the card to me. He didn't let go off it though. "But don't use it if you don't really need it", he continued more seriously. "Money doesn't grow on trees."

"Yeah yeah. Not that I didn't know that", I told. Xal let go off the card. I felt like an adult when I held it. My bank card, credit card, plastic, whatever I should call it. An access to the money on my bank account.

"And about that card", Lux said from the couch. "I have a day-off tomorrow. There's few new second hand shops opened during the summer so I wondered if we could go shopping." He grinned. "You could find that coffee maker you wanted."

I smiled. "Well that doesn't sound like a bad idea."


	6. Chapter VI

Chapter VI

After school Luxord picked me up from the school yard. He used Xaldin's car as didn't have own. They said it would be way too expensive to have two. Today was Thursday; Lux's only day-off on this week. Xal and Lux rarely had day-offs. I had noticed that, they worked harder than I had ever seen my mom, or Phil, working.

"Hey, Zex", Lux hummed, parking the Hiace in front of a flea market about a fifteen minutes later. "We're here." The building was old, and a nasty smell made me feel a little disgusted. I felt the headache rising. It was never a good sign. Was this changing into a bad idea? Other than the smell of old clothes and naphthalene the shop looked rather new and the music on the background included mostly newest hits. In other words it looked comfy yet modern to be a flea market. Like Luxord had said earlier to me it was opened only couple weeks ago.

"Look at that!" I blinked, trying to figure out what Luxord had meant. "It's beautiful!"

I stared at the clothes that were hanging there. "That! The white one!" he exclaimed, pointing at the white, cream cake – like dress.

"The wedding dress?" I asked suspiciously. He nodded eagerly and I shrugged. "But it's… so frilly?"

Luxord grinned. "Oh." He placed his hand on my shoulder. "So you don't like the traditional?"

I glared at Lux. "I guess so." I haven't thought about it. I just didn't like frilly clothes. I didn't like girls' clothes. They're not functional. My mom had a red wedding dress and it was a miracle if she even bothered to wear a skirt or a dress in public. "Otherwise…" I moved his hand. "…I don't actually even like dresses of any kind."

"Fine", Luxord pouted. "I just found it pretty."

"Well, I don't."

"But, Zex. Isn't there any cute girls in your school?" Luxord asked, still looking at the dress. "Anyone who would like to see in a dress like this?"

I frowned. Bad topic, Lux, drop it now, I groaned silently. "No", I mumbled and hoped I didn't encourage Luxord to ask other stupid questions. There weren't girls who would have gained my attention. I liked Xion only as a friend. Selphie instead was too annoying, Su was too quiet, and Audrey too stubborn and other girls were just nah. And that dress definitely wouldn't suit any of them. Luxord tilted his head.

"You're being negative", he groaned.

"No, I'm not. I'm being a realist, Luxord", I mumbled, glancing at my clock. It was only a quarter over three. "We'll see outside at four? I have homework to do."

"Yeah, sure. At four, then."

I sighed, and hoped I hadn't offended Lux. I didn't like talking about with girls with him. I mean, seriously. That guy was as gay as a man can be and yet he tried to talk about goddamn girls with me. In my class, or in my school, I bet that even in this whole city isn't a girl who could cut a dash in a good way in my opinion. I have never even liked any girl, really. Nakoma had been an exception. A bad one. Once in a lifetime experience. Well, there had been that Melody… And Anastasia when I was on the fifth grade…

I frowned, looking through the shelves and horizontal bars. Nothing really sparked my interest, and I didn't saw a single glimpse of a coffee maker I wanted. Finally I stopped and bended down. There was a book, actually three of them, with dark covers. 15 dollars. Not bad.

"A trilogy, eh?" I hummed. I had planned buying something to read and I have very mixed likes when it comes to books so instead of even reading the back covers I picked the books and continued walking.

After a half hour I had found a hoodie and a pair of bondage pants, in addition to the books. No coffee maker though. Luxord was already standing in front of the cash desk, chatting with the shop assistant.

"Guess what I found!" he hummed, smiling widely. "Tadaa!" He pointed proudly at a dull red coffee maker on the desk. "I knew you'd try to find one so I called here earlier. That's Merida. She's the one to thank." Yeah, right. So Lux had planned it the way I couldn't find one. I frowned at the shop assistant. She had long and curly, flaming red hair framing her quite round face. She was quite pretty but too sporty looking. She listened carefully what Lux said and nodded in some occasions.

"It's mah family's old", she said in a foreign accent. "W' bought a new one, a newer one. I took that old thing 'ere last week." She turned to Luxord. "It's 7 dollars."

"I'll pay it", I said quickly and put the pants, hoodie, and books to the desk, next to the coffee maker.

I ignored Lux's shocked expression. He groaned multiple objections about he had "found" it and how Xaldin wouldn't like me to use my money but I had made my mind. My money, my decision, my coffee maker. Luxord looked pretty disapproving when I gave my credit card to Merida but in my opinion he had nothing to say.

Merida smiled weirdly when she packed all what I had just bought into one big plastic bag. "Here ye go", she said and snickered. "I hope yer going to like 'em."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure I will." Whatever she had meant by that. Luxord chuckled, as if he had understood what Merida had laughed about either.

We walked slowly through the parking lot. The sky was gray, the rain was coming. The Hiace's engine made a grumbling sound as Luxord turned the key. "Where should we go next?" he asked with a smile.

I looked out from the window, my gaze following a long crack on it. "I have homework", I reminded him. I didn't know why I felt weird. I wasn't angry yet I didn't want to have any kind of conversation right now.

"Of course. Home then."

Even the row of apartment houses looked more depressing and going up the stairs felt longer than usually. Xaldin wasn't home and Luxord went straight to kitchen to make dinner. I went to my room and locked the door. The homework rested on the floor; I should have started doing it. Instead the coffee maker made its way to my desk and I took as pleasurable position to read on my bed as I could and picked up the first one of the books. I ignored reading the back cover; they contain spoilers which I hate.

I read the first pages. The main-character was a woman, living with her roommate. Nothing wrong there. I had already read couple books like that.

I continued reading until something started to feel terribly wrong somehow.

I turned the page. "No…"

This was no good. "No…!"

What the actual fuuuuck?!

After realizing the horrible facts I rushed to the kitchen. I saw Xaldin had come home already but it didn't help me to calm down. I was in such a horrible state of shock. Luxord blinked couple times. He was drinking tea, like he did at least four times a day. Xaldin looked at least as surprised as him.

"Luxord! Why didn't you warn me?!" I yelled and slammed the book to the kitchen table.

Luxord picked it up, smiling. "_Fifty Shades of Grey_", he hummed. "Great book. I thought you knew what it was about when you bought it." Of course I should have known Luxord had read it.

"But-?! Fuck!" I needed help from someone who's not a total girl. "Xaldin!" Give me some manly advice!

But no. My only cousin grimaced. "Don't look at me, I'm out of this", he said.

"I need Hogwarts! Middle-Earth!" I cried out in inner agony. I couldn't erase from my memory what I had read less than five minutes ago. "Anything else but sparkling vampires or porn for desperate housewives!"

"Watch some TV then", Lux snorted. "_Supernatural _starts in few minutes."

So we three ended up sitting on the couch in the living room, watching TV, and eating macaroni and cheese. I could barely remember the fifty shades of fucked-upness and… Fuck, now I remember it again. Clearly. God, fuck this.

I woke up to the annoying sound of my alarm, feeling shitty and tired, and I slowly made my way to the bathroom. Xaldin and Luxord were nowhere in the apartment, which was good so that they couldn't hear my cursing. The bathroom's mirror told the truth; I looked like a mess. How did that macaroni end up in my hair? I didn't know. After retreating to my room last night I had seen countless bad dreams about whips and floggers and spanking. I had barely could close my eyes without those images popping to my mind.

After a cold shower, remembering I didn't made my homework, and almost missing the bus I found myself from the English class with Hayner and Roxas. The class hadn't started since miss Falls was late for once. I didn't even try to concentrate what was happening around me.

"Seriously, Zex. You look tired", Hayner noted. He instead looked like a bucketful of sunshine and flowers. "You should sleep more."

"Blame the CEO", I groaned, feeling the cold vibes. Hayner grinned, ignoring my answer.

"Come on, it's Friday! Cheer up!" he laughed. "First week is almost over! It's party time! Everybody is…!"

"Thank you for being so verbal today, Jackson", miss Falls said, appearing from nowhere and slamming the door as she stepped in the noisy class room. "Would you also like to tell me how your and Alice Jenkins' presentation going on?"

"Umm, well", Hayner mumbled, and the small blonde girl blushed on the other side of the class. I rolled my eyes. It seemed like poor Alice had to do the whole presentation alone. And speaking of presentations…

"I want you to finish your presentations for Monday", miss Falls declared. "Some of you have already returned theirs." She smiled at Olette and a guy in the back of the class who probably had let Olette made it all by herself, too. I suddenly felt a bit guilty and glanced at Roxas.

"It's almost done", Roxas whispered as if understanding the situation just by looking at me. "We're going to watch it the movie today before I'll write my final opinion about it. It couldn't hurt if you come to hand out with me and Xion."

"Really?" I asked. I had thought Roxas was going to have a party with Hayner and others. "What about the party?"

"Not for me", he snorted. "You're not going either, am I right?"

"Big parties aren't for me", I admitted quietly. "When should I…?"

"We will pick you up", Roxas told and silenced to listen to Yuna's speech about female authors from the beginning of the 18th century.

When Roxas had said they'll pick me up I never expected that he would call to his father to come and get us from school and then we would go back to Xal's apartment and then go to Rox's house to finish the presentation. Oh, well. That's what he had planned during the English class when I had listened about the Brontë sisters. Luckily he warned me about it during the lunch break.

"So you just told me", I started, chewing my tuna sandwich. "That I got no time to mentally get ready to this weekend?"

"Actually I said we'll go straight from school to your place that you can pick up your stuff for the weekend before we continue to the magical world of Elizabeth Bennet", Roxas corrected and took another gulp of his ice-coffee. "Before you can run away from the work."

"I had just forgotten it", I groaned.

"I have reminded you every day", Roxas noted icily. "But you're often in a whole different dimension. Oh, and before I forget, Xion will come with the same ride with us."

"Well that's just fine…" I had somehow started to feel rather uncomfortable around her but could I say that to her brother? No.

Last hours felt like forever. It's always like that when you wait for something to happen. Roxas didn't leave me alone for a split second, and Hayner tried to make me join him and some upper class students at the party tonight but Rox had made his mind about not letting me to get away from making the presentation.

I, Roxas, and Xion had art on the last class. Mr. Thug had hated us even more than Eraqus. More fun to be expected; there was a police car stopped on the other side of the road. "I hope he's here to arrest the math teacher for giving us so much homework", I joked when a man in blue police uniform opened the front door. Roxas rolled his eyes; Xion instead chuckled when we went to the other side of the road, politely using the crosswalk, of course.

"That's our dad", Xion whispered.

I stared at her. "You're kidding, right?" I asked, and she shook her head.

That wasn't a good start.


End file.
